Freezing your credit report blocks new creditors from accessing your credit reports. This means fraudusters can’t open false accounts in your name or steal your identity by trying to peek at your credit report – a major issue in the security space. In 2021, about 23.9 million people fell victim to identity theft, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ latest data(1).
You can freeze your credit report for free by contacting each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Transunion.
Only current creditors you have, select government entities (such as child support agencies) and approved companies that monitor your credit file can view your credit reports during a credit freeze.
Visit TransUnion Credit Freeze and create a free account. Or, log in to manage an existing one. Follow the instructions and fill out a freeze form. You can also call 888-909-8872 and request a freeze after verifying your identity. If you prefer to send the request by mail use P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016.
Visit the Equifax Consumer Services Center and create a free account or manage one you have with the bureau. Afterward, fill out a freeze form. You can also call 1-800-685-1111 and request a freeze. Or, you can send a request to P.O. Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374.
Visit the Experian Freeze Center and create an account or log-in to your current one. Then, fill out a freeze form. You can also request a freeze over the phone by dialing 888-397-3742. Or you can send a written request to Experian Security Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. The written request should include the following.
To freeze your credit report, you’d need to provide some personal information:
If your child is under 16, you can request a free credit freeze from each of the three credit bureaus under their behalf. To do this, you’d need to contact each of the three credit bureaus online, by phone or by mail.
While requirements for freezing your child’s credit report may vary across bureaus, you should keep the following information and documentation at hand.
To freeze your child’s credit with TransUnion, you’d need to send a written request to place a “protected consumer freeze” on your child’s file to TransUnion
P.O. Box 380 Woodlyn, PA 19094.
It should contain one copy of the following documentation, according to TransUnion’s credit freeze FAQ(2).
To freeze your child’s credit report with Equifax, you’d need to fill out a minor security freeze request form. And you’d need to send that form along with the following documents to Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348.
To prove your identity (A copy of one of the following)
To prove your child’s identity (A copy of one of the following)
To freeze your child’s credit with Experian, visit Experian’s Child Identity Theft Protection webpage and click on “Add or remove security freeze for a minor.” Then, complete the form and under the “Additional information” heading, click “Place a security freeze on your child’s credit file.” Print the form and mail along with a copy of your ID and your child’s documentation to Experian P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013.
Here’s the information and documentation you’ll need to complete the process.
Freezing your credit report won’t harm your credit. It helps protect your information from falling into the hands scammers. However, you won’t be able to access new credit until you unfreeze your credit.
You can unfreeze a credit report for free by contacting each of the three credit bureaus in the same fashion you initially froze your credit report. You can request a thaw to unfreeze it for a certain period of time or permanently unfreeze it.
Freezing your credit report can safeguard your private information from scammers because a freeze blocks new creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission. If you want to freeze your credit report, you’d need to contact the three credit bureaus Equifax, TransUnion and Experian and fill out some forms. If you’re wondering if you need a freeze, you can get your free credit report to see if there’s any unusual activity.
A credit freeze and credit lock both block anyone from accessing your credit report without your explicit permission. But a credit lock is not free and usually is part of a subscription-based service that bundles different identity theft protection features.
No. Experian and Equifax no longer require a PIN to manage a freeze and you don’t need a PIN to change your freeze at TransUnion.
The Chime Credit Builder Card can help you build credit without charging interest and doesn’t require a deposit or monthly fee.
Top apps like Self that build credit include Kikoff, Grow Credit, Chime Secured Credit Builder Card, Credit Strong and Cleo.
Top alternatives to Kikoff for easy credit-building include Self, Cleo, Grow Credit, Fizz and One Finance.
Kovo Credit Builder helps you build your credit history for around $10 per month and reports to four credit bureaus. Many competitors do not.
The best credit-building apps include Self Credit Builder, Step, Fizz, Cred.ai, Cleo, Grow Credit and Credit Karma Credit Builder.
Lexington Law is a credit repair company, but it carries a poor reputation.
Kikoff offers several credit-building products, including a secured card with no monthly fee, no interest charges and a low minimum deposit.
Prepaid credit cards are secured cards that work like debit cards to avoid APR and build credit. Top options include Step, Current, Varo and more.
The Extra debit card is a debit card that builds credit without charging interest like traditional credit cards do. Review Extra’s features, fees and more.
Cushion is an all-in-one banking app that helps you track your spending and build credit without interest charges. See if it could be right for you.